Everyday Yogini

I just came across this and wanted to share. I love the video and will absolutely be giving to this project. Watch it and be inspired!

Initially, I had planned a human rights post about school lunches and then I read about the earthquake that struck China earlier this week. The first images I saw of the quake were of a young mother carrying her child while the earth shook and debris fell. It took my breath away.

The first thing I thought of was how I would respond and what I would be feeling in such circumstances. My next thought (and action) was to sit down and practice metta (loving kindness) meditation for all those who are touched by this disaster.

May all those touched by this tragedy be filled with loving kindness,
May they be cared for with food, shelter, and water,
May they be comforted and comfort those around them,
May they find their lives somehow blessed through this tragedy.

If you wish to donate to the relief effort in the Sichuan province of China, you can go to theGlobal Goodness Blog for more information on using your dollars to help those in need. I would also encourage everyone to send metta during your meditation practice in the days and weeks to come.

When we left Colorado, we kept our home in a cohousing community. You may or may not know what cohousing is all about, but one of my neighbors sent out this great video that is available on the internet. If you are interested in learning more, you can see the webumentary here.

I found after living in cohousing, that I crave a community of like-minded individuals! What a suprise that has been for me as a natural introvert! I loved being able to go out my front door and have spontaneous play-dates and conversation about the current state of… anything! All that good stuff being said, there are many things about cohousing that can get really annoying, but overall, I think the positive aspects far outweigh the negative and I look forward to the day when we will return to our home.

To me, cohousing is a great way to have intergenerational friendships, provide “grandparents” for Clara, is a source of great frustration (and therefor emotional and spiritual growth), and is a terrific way (on a very local level) to make the world a more beautiful and loving place. I loved being able to cook for my neighbors, volunteer my skills for the betterment of the community, and be a part of such an amazing web of connection and friendship.

May you all sustain, and be sustained by, your respective communities, Yoginis! Have a lovely weekend…

I am a big believer in giving back locally and globally in whatever ways speak to me, especially after I spent many years feeling paralyzed by the amount of suffering in the world that could use my attention. In any case, one of the concepts that has really grabbed me is Microfinance. From what I’ve read, it is one of the most effective ways to empower poverty stricken areas around the world to create independence.

Every holiday season, I look for an organization to give some money to. This year I was ecstatic to find the organization, Kiva. Here is what their website says, “Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can “sponsor a business” and help the world’s working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you’ve sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.”

Is this not the coolest idea? When I was searching around for ways to volunteer my time, I really wanted to find a microfinance organization that could use my business skills. I couldn’t find a way to volunteer my time virtually in microfinance, however, I am so excited to be able to give some of my money to Kiva! I love the fact that I can follow the project and see the direct results of my contribution, and, when the money is paid back, I can just reinvest it in another project! Brilliant!

If you have any interest in supporting this work, please go to Kiva and sign up today!

Earlier in the week, I wrote about my desire to volunteer my business and accounting skills as a form of spiritual service, or, seva.

Well, I am thrilled, and a little nervous, to report that I have been matched up with a lady in Oregon who is opening a spa, which she has a terrific vision for! I feel so good about helping a small, woman-owned business, and, since this will be my first time mentoring, I know I will learn a ton.

Also, tomorrow, or later today, I believe that my friend Kristen over at Green Style Mom is doing a Blog Carnival on Birth Stories, so if you are interested, I would love to hear everyone’s stories and I am excited to share Clara’s story, too.

Yoga is a spiritual practice, with principles to guide our actions in everyday life. Every one of these principles moves us towards less negative impact: on the people around us, on ourselves, and on the environment.

About a year ago, I donated all of my yoga mats (I had 6, in different colors) to Goodwill Industries and purchased an eco-friendly Yoga mat, made without PVC (Polyvinyl chloride). My yoga blocks were made from renewable cork, so they already met my new “green” standard for my Yoga props.

There are easy things we can all do, as Yoga practicioners, or just as global citizens that want to make a difference in how we live on this planet and use resources. Below, is my top 10 list of actions we can take to be Green Everyday Yoginis!

Top 10 Eco-actions for Yoga Practicioners:

1. Ask your local Yoga studio to ‘Go Green’
2. If your studio sells retail items, ask them to stock eco-friendly products
3. Find your way to Yoga class with public transportation
4. Buy yourself Eco-friendly Yoga Products (hopefully from your studio, that you asked to stock them!)
5. Use a natural cleaner for your new, eco-friendly Yoga mat
6. Use soy wax, or other non-petrolatum candles during your home practice
7. When buying cute new Yoga togs, focus on companies selling eco-friendly, renewable-resource clothing
8. Nourish your body, and your Yoga practice, with local, organic food
9. Join, and participate in, an organization that supports your values, your community, and the world.
10. Spread the word! Tell your friends what you are doing and ask them to join you!

How do you “green” your practice and your life? I’m looking forward to hearing from you…

I’m thinking about service. As I started this blog and made some decisions about the direction I wish for my life to move in, one of the things I really, really want in my life is an opportunity to serve the greater community. I believe that raising my child as a gentle, global citizen and focusing on non-violence in my own life is, indeed, a form of seva (spiritual service). But I long to feel like I’m contributing in connection with others.

And for whatever reason, this is hard to find. Now of course, no, it’s not hard to find places to volunteer time, but I would like to find something that uses my accounting and business background to serve the greater good. And, seeing as I’m in Rome, it would most likely have to be on-line.

Yesterday, I found this interesting organization, Micro Mentor, that connects mentors and folks who are starting up small businesses and may not have the resources to engage professionals. I found them through Volunteer Match, where they had tons of “virtual volunteer” positions! I’ve been trying to find online opportunities for a while, so I was really excited to finally find this great resource! Anyway, I signed up to be a mentor, so we’ll see if anyone contacts me. I really hope I get a mentor match.

I also have some ideas for local volunteering here in Rome. For those of you who have been here, you might remember how dirty Italian cities can be. Especially as you get further south in the country. So, I am hoping to work up the courage to organize a neighborhood clean-up. It would be really interesting if I could pull it off, because our neighborhood includes a lot of Embassies, including Canadian, Iranian, and Romanian. It would truly be an international effort, although my husband insists that other cultures would consider it beneath them to clean up, although many don’t consider it beneath them to throw their trash on the streets or not clean up after their dogs. Anyway. I would really like to see this happen.

So, if you have any other ideas, I’m listening. If you are volunteering in your communities, tell me about it. I would love to hear what everyone is doing…

As someone who has worked in the business world, I am always inspired when I see articles and stories about people who take their spiritual service (seva) into the world in a very tangible way. This one struck very close to home because I would love to find a way to use my business background for good purpose, not just profit.

I receive a magazine called Ode and it is a very positive, empowering magazine that is worth reading. In last month’s issue, there was a great article about a gentleman in South Africa who opened a business school in the worst part of Johannesburg and offered practically free education to students who would normally not recieve the priviledge of an education.

Taddy Blecher, the 40-year-old founder and executive director engaged the business community to finance the project and opened his doors to the first students. The students are required to serve the school, as the school serves them, meaning they participate in keeping the school clean, etc. The students, who otherwise would become part of the masses of uneducated poor in South Africa, often become incredibly successful and bring the hope and prosperity back to their communities.

To access the article in full, go here.